REVIEW ON MEASUREMENTS:UNITS,
CONVERSION, AND SCIENTIFIC NOTATION
By: RUAN DURAN
WHAT IS UNIT OF MEASUREMENT?
• The units of measurement are the
collection of standard and other units
that are used to measure various
physical quantities.
• Mass – Kilogram
• Length – Meter
• Time – Seconds
B ASIC UNI TS OF
ME ASUREM ENT • Amount of matter – mole
• Electric current – ampere
• Luminosity – Candela
• Temperature – Kelvin
• Capacity/Volume – Liters
UNIT CONVERSION
IMPERICAL UNITS SI UNITS
• Also known as British imperial • It is the metric system that is used
system. universally as a standard for
• These include units that were in measurements.
common use in Britain like inches, • it is an abbreviation of the French
pounds, gallons, etc. word Système International.
• Popularly used in US and UK
BASIC UNIT CONVERSION
PREFIX OF UNITS
• Scientific notation is a
form of presenting very
large numbers or very
SCI EN TI FIC N OTATION
small numbers in a simpler
form.
• 6 × 103
•5 x
•4 x
REVIEW ON: ACCURACY, PRECISION
AND ERRORS IN MEASUREMENT
DISCOVER
• Have you tried cooking but failed with its
taste? Did you use the tight amount of
ingredients?
• What could be the factors for the error(s)
met?
FACTORS WHY ERRORS OCCUR
1. The kind of measuring device use.
2. Methods in getting the measurement.
3. Conditions under which the measurement
was made.
ERRORS IN MEASUREMENT
• An error may be defined as the difference between
the measured and actual values. For example, if the
two operators use the same device or instrument for
measurement. It is not necessary that both operators
get similar results. The difference between the
measurements is referred to as an ERROR.
2 TYPES OF ERRORS
• RANDOM ERROR • SYSTEMATIC ERROR
- the random errors are those errors, which - Systematic errors can be better
occur irregularly and hence are random. understood if we divide them into
These can arise due to random and subgroups; They are:
unpredictable fluctuations in experimental
• Environmental Errors
conditions
• Observational Errors
• Instrumental Errors
• This type of error arises in
the measurement due to the
effect of the external
conditions on the
ENVIRONM ENTAL ERRORS measurement. The external
condition includes
temperature, pressure, and
humidity and can also include
an external magnetic field.
• These are the errors that
arise due to an individual’s
bias, lack of proper setting of
the apparatus, or an
OBSERVATI ON AL E RRORS individual’s carelessness in
taking observations.
• These errors arise due to
faulty construction and
calibration of the measuring
instruments. Such errors arise
INSTRUME NTAL E RRORS due to the hysteresis of the
equipment
2 TYPES OF ERRORS
• RANDOM ERROR • SYSTEMATIC ERROR
- the random errors are those errors, which - Systematic error is consistent and
occur irregularly and hence are random. repeatable error due to the kind of
These can arise due to random and measuring device, how the measurement
unpredictable fluctuations in experimental was taken, and external factors.
conditions
ERRORS IN MEASUREMENT
• To understand the concept of measurement errors, you
should know the two terms that define the error. They are
true value and measured value. The true value is impossible
to find by experimental means. It may be defined as the
average value of an infinite number of measured values. The
measured value is a single measure of the object to be as
accurate as possible.
ACTUAL VS MEASURED
ACTUAL VALUE MEASURED VALUE
• An actual value is the true or correct value • A measured value is the value obtained
of a quantity or parameter. It is the value through experimental or practical
that would be obtained under perfect measurements using instruments or tools.
conditions or with perfect measurement
• Measured values may not always match the
tools.
actual values due to various factors such as
• In many cases, actual values are determined experimental errors, limitations of the
through theoretical calculations, simulations, measuring instruments, environmental
or by using highly accurate measurement conditions, and human error.
techniques and standards.
NOTE: IT AS MATTER OF PRECISION AND ACCURARY
TO MINIMIZE ERRORS IN
MEASUREMENT, MUTLIPLE TRIALS
MUST BE DONE.
ACCURACY PRECISION
• The closeness of the • The closeness of the
measurements to a measurements to each
specific value other
A GAME OF DARTS
ACCURACY
• Is expressed in terms of absolute error or percentage of error.
EXAMPLE 1:
The length of a rectangular
box is 1.2 meters, but it was
LET’ S SOLVE THIS
measured with tape, and
the length was measured as
1.22 meters. Find the
accuracy of measurement.
PRECISION
• Is expressed in terms of deviation or percentage of deviation.
SIGNIFICANT FIGURES
SIGNIFIC ANT FIGURES
• Significant figures (or significant digits) are the
number of digits in a given value or a
measurement, necessary to decide the accuracy
and precision of measurement.
• They are important in scientific or technical
measurements.
RULES IN DETERMINING SIGNIFICANT
FIGURES
1. All non-zero digits are significant.
2. All zeros in between non-zero digits are significant.
3. Zeros on the right of a decimal point and before (or to the left of) the first
non-zero digit are not significant. They only represent the position of the
decimal point.
4. Zeros on the right of a decimal point are significant, provided there is no
non-zero digit after them.
5. Zeros on the right of the last non-zero digit after a decimal point are
significant. So, final zeros or trailing zeros in the decimal part are significant.
6. In a measurement value, zeros that occur on the right of the last non-zero
digit are significant.
SUMMARY OF THE RULES
ACTIVITY!!
EXPRESS IN SCIENTIFIC NOTATION
CONVERSION
ACCURACY AND PRECISION
NUMBER NUMBER OF SIGNIFICANT
FIGURES
40000
0.005
4479
220
0.8001
1002
9.8092
7.000
0.30303
00101
7000 m
69 ft
23.00011
0.007030810
